This invention relates to ceiling fan motors, and in particular to a ceiling fan motor construction having a stationary central shaft to allow for the passage of wires to, for example, a light fixture suspended from a ceiling fan and which isolates the fan blades from the motor rotor.
Ceiling fans are commonly placed in residences and business establishments to facilitate air movement within rooms. As is known, a ceiling fan motor comprises a stator, a rotor, and blades connected to the rotor to be rotated by the motor. Often, in electrical motors, the rotor is inside the stator. However, many ceiling fans employ an inside-out motor in which the rotor is on the outside and surrounds the stator.
Often an electrical fixture, such as a light fixture, is suspended from a ceiling fan. In this situation, the electrical wires for the electrical fixture pass through the center of the ceiling fan. As can be appreciated, the tube or passage through which the wires pass must be stationary (i.e., must not rotate), otherwise the wires will be twisted, and ultimately will break.
In addition, the connection of the fan blades to the rotor often results in noise. It would be desirable to provide a fan assembly which isolates that fan blades from the rotor to reduce vibration and resulting noise during operation of the fan.